


it’s okay if you can’t catch your breath, you can take the oxygen straight out of my own chest

by gublerlover



Category: Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Hydra (Marvel), M/M, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Whump, im bad at tagging, im really trying here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 17:08:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15247932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gublerlover/pseuds/gublerlover
Summary: “I'm sorry,"  Steve choked out.  This was out of his range.  He doesn't see Tony like this, he never has. He's supposed to be sack of sarcastic wit and genius humor, indestructible; not a sopping wet mess, having a panic attack, right in front of Steve Rogers.This isn't what they did.Or, when Steve and Tony get kidnapped and Tony takes all the damage.





	it’s okay if you can’t catch your breath, you can take the oxygen straight out of my own chest

**Author's Note:**

> sorry this sucks i half-assed the ending (or the whole thing lol) try to enjoy even tho i suck at writing :’)
> 
> also not edited so sorry for mistakes

Tony Stark was a strong man. 

He had flaws, laid under flaws, and insecurities atop more insecurities, but he was a strong man.

Steve didn't doubt that, but there was no way he'd let Hydra agents waterboard him. Torturing Tony Stark, who already went through that in Afghanistan, there was no way.

 

"Now, Mr. America, want to tell us where James Barnes is?" 

He cringed, and shook his head. "I don't know, he went of the grid." They dunked Tony's head under again, and Steve pulled on the restraints tighter.

"Let-Let him go! I swear, I swear I don't know!" 

Tony's head was pulled up again, and Steve sighed from relieve. Tony looked gasped for breath, choking on swallowed water. He shot a look at the blonde, eyes that screamed don't tell them don't tell them, and shook his head. 

Tony went under again.

-

 

"I won't tell them." 

He promised, once their captors left, he promised.

He was close to.

"Tony, I need you to stay with me, okay?" He shot over, and Tony swallowed at the wall. "Do you hear me? Stay with me." 

Tony looked at him, face flushed and clammy, and nodded, before turning back to his interesting wall.

-

After an unattainable amount of time spent torturing Tony, they left the two in a cold room, Tony in a mess of rocking back and forth. Steve pulled against the restraints, god he pulled, but Tony was a shivering pile of wet clothes and there was no way he could untie him. Two water bottles were thrown through the door, and Steve felt the restraints loosen enough for him to pull out of it.

 

"Tony, Tony, oh, god-"

 

He ignored the water, rushing to Tony. His struggling went limp, as heavy gasps escape his lips. 

“I'm sorry," Steve choked out. This was out of his range. He doesn't see Tony like this, he never has. He's supposed to be sack of sarcastic wit and genius humor, indestructible; not a sopping wet mess, having a panic attack, right in front of Steve Rogers.

This isn't what they did.

He was freezing, and coughing so hard Steve thought he was close to bruising his ribs. Grabbing the water bottles, he tried to get him to drink, just a little. 

Tony shook his head, and Steve mumbled some phase of understanding, before wrapping a protective arm around him. "'s gon' be fine, St've," 

Steve felt a shaky hand wrap around his, before closing his eyes against Tony's hair. "Yeah, we're going to be fine."

-

 

He was forced back into the cuffs after only twenty minutes of checking Tony over, the metal burning his wrists as he pulled for release. Tony sat blankly, they didn’t bother to cuff him again. Steve didn’t know whether he was unconscious or just that far gone.

“Tony, please, talk to me.” He asked desperately. 

He just stayed sitting, mindlessly staring. 

It took two more days until the team had found them, Tony's health draining dramatically in the meantime. Steve's vision was blocked by Natasha checking him over - he was fine! - but the vague image of Bruce rushing an oxygen mask over Tony's mouth, pale and unmoving body on a stretcher would haunt him for days. 

-

"Is he okay?" Steve stood up, an ache lost in his chest, your fault your fault-

"He developed pneumonia, I-" Bruce paused with a sigh. 

“It came from a cold he'd gotten from the torture, and I just don’t know. His mental state is a completely different story.” The doctor pressed a hand to his head.

"I don't know, Steve." 

He nodded, and returned to waiting outside the medical wing. 

-

Tony looked young.

The hospital was warm, a sharp contrast to the cage he was kept in. They were treated like animals. And the way he use to treat Tony, he deserved it. 

Not Tony, though.

Never Tony.

He sat numbly, fingers tracing patterns against the man’s limp hand. 

He still hasn’t woken up. 

Steve doesn’t think he really woke up either. 

-

Tony awoke, late in the afternoon. Steve was kicked out as Bruce and the Med team looked him over for a few minutes, before he was hesitantly allowed back in.

Tony smiled softly when Steve walked in, oxygen mask now absent from his pale face. “Hey, big guy.” he said. 

Steve smiled, and took ahold of his cold and calloused hands. “Hey, Tones.” 

The air felt heavy with unspoken words, but Tony needed his rest. So Steve manned up, and swallowed any hesitation as he talked. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t—“

“No, no, no. No. You are not apologizing to me, Steven Grant Rogers. I have gone through much worse, from people who have actually wanted me to. You have done nothing wrong, so no apologies. Capiche?” 

“Capiche. I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Steve fixed, blue eyes glazed on Tony’s brown.

“Thank you, Steve.” Tony seriously said, voice devoid of humor. 

Steve smiled softly, squeezing Tony’s hand, as he slowly drifted off. “Goodnight, Steve, and thank you.” Tony mumbled incoherently, a fond grin being sent towards the super solider. The heart monitor slowed down, until reaching a steady beat, and Steve leaned back in the chair. 

“Goodnight, Tones.”


End file.
